It’ll be costly but necessary to meet commitment to veterans.

Recently, a Vietnam veteran was on television, thanking our congressman, Rep. Reid Ribbe, for getting him an appointment at the Veterans Affairs clinic. If our congressman had done his job in the first place, no vet would need extraordinary help to get the health care they earned.

In February, Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed a bill to increase the Veterans Affairs budget by $21 billion over the next 10 years. The increase was based on testimony in Sanders’ committee, stating that there were long waits for appointments. It was also found that the VA pays doctors about two-thirds of what private health care providers pay. This results in recruiting problems and under taffing of many VA hospitals.

Republicans killed Sanders’ bill by filibustering it. They stated the bill was too expensive. The health care our veterans earned isn’t going to be cheap. Republicans may have to break their solemn pledge to Grover Norquist and raise taxes or fees to fulfill our nation’s promise to our best. Charging three pennies extra for each stock trade would just about do it.

Ron Gruett,

Chilton

Editor’s note: Gruett is running against Ribble for the 8th Congressional District seat in the November election.

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